This invention relates to a pin puller and inserter which is used to pull the retaining pins from and insert retaining pins into shipping rails for integrated circuit dual inline packages (DIPs). Shipping rails are plastic packages which are shaped like a hollow elongated rail and contain a plurality of DIPs lined up end on end and slideable within the rail. The shipping rails are open on both ends and the DIPs are retained in the rail by plastic retainer pins that pass through two transverse openings in the ends of the rail. The retainer pins have enlarged tips and enlarged shoulders under their heads to snap fit into the openings so that they do not fall out during handling of the rails. To remove the DIPs from the rail, one of the retaining pins is pulled out of the rail and the rail is tilted to allow the DIPs to slide out of the open end one at a time.
In the past, the pins have been pulled out of the rails by a hand held claw type puller. The rail was held in one hand and the claw puller was held in the other while the pin was pried out of the rail with the claw puller. Poor alignment of the claw puller and the rail during the pin removal frequently caused burring of the holes in the rail, which then impeded the flow of DIPs into or out of the rail. The pulled pin was laid aside and later reinserted using the thumb pressure to snap it in place.